Strontium

Posted by meomurian @meomurian, Feb 20, 2023

Is anyone taking strontium for bone health? My husband is reading studies on its benefits. I am currently getting Prolia injections 2x/year.

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I’ve read about it. A company called Algaecal has a bundle you can purchase that includes Algaecal calcium + Strontium. I purchased the calcium tablets only since I want to do more research on strontium.

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@gigi4

I’ve read about it. A company called Algaecal has a bundle you can purchase that includes Algaecal calcium + Strontium. I purchased the calcium tablets only since I want to do more research on strontium.

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gigi & @meomurian - This has been discussed before, and here is an explanation of why it strontium supplements are not a good idea, especially for anyone on Prolia or another treatment. Strontium deposits itself, replacing calcium in the bone, making bone density tests inaccurate. Strontium is not bone, and its efficacy in reducing fractures is unknown.
https://americanbonehealth.org/medications-bone-health/why-strontium-is-not-advised-for-bone-health/
It should be discussed with your doc before beginning treatment.
Sue

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I appreciate your comments to my post.

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@gigi4

I’ve read about it. A company called Algaecal has a bundle you can purchase that includes Algaecal calcium + Strontium. I purchased the calcium tablets only since I want to do more research on strontium.

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Algaecal has an article on strontium on their website. An interesting read.

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When looked into it some years ago, I read that one form of it was used as a prescription treatment for osteoporosis in Europe but has been taken off the market. The medication was not the same substance that is available over the counter here.

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@sueinmn

gigi & @meomurian - This has been discussed before, and here is an explanation of why it strontium supplements are not a good idea, especially for anyone on Prolia or another treatment. Strontium deposits itself, replacing calcium in the bone, making bone density tests inaccurate. Strontium is not bone, and its efficacy in reducing fractures is unknown.
https://americanbonehealth.org/medications-bone-health/why-strontium-is-not-advised-for-bone-health/
It should be discussed with your doc before beginning treatment.
Sue

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Look up the MOTS and COMB clinical trials that shows the efficacy of strontium citrate to build bone and positively affects trabecular bone.

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@vgkime

Look up the MOTS and COMB clinical trials that shows the efficacy of strontium citrate to build bone and positively affects trabecular bone.

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Can you please spell out MOTS and COMB or provide a link to the reports? These are not acronyms I am familiar wit, and I would like to read them.
Sue

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@sueinmn

Can you please spell out MOTS and COMB or provide a link to the reports? These are not acronyms I am familiar wit, and I would like to read them.
Sue

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Sue, Just a wild guess until you hear from @vgkime.

--- Melatonin-micronutrients Osteopenia Treatment Study (MOTS): a translational study assessing melatonin, strontium (citrate), vitamin D3 and vitamin K2 (MK7) on bone density, bone marker turnover and health related quality of life in postmenopausal osteopenic women following a one-year double-blind RCT and on osteoblast-osteoclast co-cultures:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5310667/
--- Hypotensive and HbA1c reducing effect of novel dietary intervention program “COMB meal program”: Two randomized clinical trials: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1756464622003498

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@sueinmn

Can you please spell out MOTS and COMB or provide a link to the reports? These are not acronyms I am familiar wit, and I would like to read them.
Sue

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Hi Sue these are the actual names of the studies. John, volunteer mentor spelled out the MOTS acronym but if you google MOTS or COMB study or clinical trials they will come up as MOTS and COMB:
“Combination of Micro nutrients for Bone (COMB) Study: Bone Density after Micronutrient Intervention” and
“Melatonin-micronutrients Osteopenia Treatment Study (MOTS):

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@vgkime

Look up the MOTS and COMB clinical trials that shows the efficacy of strontium citrate to build bone and positively affects trabecular bone.

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Thanks to @johnbishop, I found the information you referred to.
Always seeking more natural interventions for health and wellness, I read both with a great deal of curiosity. I am learning a lot! Enough to be encouraged that there may be answers on the horizon.

Here is my analysis of the MOTS (Melatonin-micronutrients Osteopenia Treatment) Study:
This was a well-designed and executed small study of a population having osteopenia, not osteoporosis, and no high cholesterol, high blood pressure, inflammatory/autoimmune disease. So, a typical first-round population.
The regimen tested was a combination of melatonin (5mg), strontium citrate, Vitamin D3 & Vitamin K2 (MSDK) Dosages of the other 3 not disclosed in the report
It yielded impressive results in the 11 people who completed the trial, compared to the 11 on placebo, and they stated, "... In our study, osteopenic women taking MSDK for one year had a significant improvement in their left femoral neck and lumbar spine BMD and demonstrated a lower risk for a major osteoporotic fracture risk compared to women taking placebo. This is consistent with previous studies that demonstrate an increased BMD using melatonin alone [12], strontium alone [13, 14] or combination vitamin D3 and vitamin K2 [17, 18] or combination strontium citrate, vitamins K2 and D3 [20]. MSDK was found to be less effective in improving hip BMD, perhaps due to the kinetics of bone remodeling in long vs. flat bones [52]"

My takeaway:
There should be Phase 2 & 3 clinical studies to evaluate effectiveness in typical populations and those who already have osteoporosis. Also a follow-up after 5 years of supplementation to demonstrate long-term efficacy.
We need to be careful about "grabbing onto" hope based on small studies, and taking supplements in different combinations and concentrations than are tested. We also need to know if they are effective when other conditions/medications enter the mix. And whether they are safe and effective long-term.

I don't have time right now, but will look at the COMB study on a different day.
Sue

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